Utility rack



5 R. SHELL UTILITY RACK Aug. 31, 1965 Filed April 17, 1964 FIG.|

EVELYN R. SHELL INVENTOR.

AGENT United States Patent 3,203,746 UTILHY RACK Evelyn R. Shell, 1106 SE. 19th, Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Apr. 17, 1964, Ser. No. 360,592 3'Claims. (Cl. 312-401) The present invention relates to utility racks and more particularly to a means for supporting beauticians equipment tin selected elevated positions.

Beauticians normally use a plurality of small articles, such as rollers, curlers, hair pins etc., when rendering service to a customer. In the interest of conserving the operators and customers time, it is desirable to have the necessary articles and equipment available and within reach of the operator. However, since the articles used are numerous and of a bulky nature, it requires considerable space for the containers of such articles to place them within easy reach. The necessary space is usually not readily available in the average beauty shop.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the instant invention to provide a rack or support for positioning beauticians equipment within reach and yet, when not in use, in an out of the way position.

Another object is to provide a utility rack which may be mounted on a movable base so that the rack may be moved from one location to another.

Another object is to provide a rack wherein a plurality of containers are positioned in spaced relation with respect to a supporting floor whereby the containers may be manually lowered to permit access to the contents thereof.

A further object is to provide a rack wherein the containers are individually supported in vertically adjustable positions out of the reach of unauthorized persons.

Still another object is to provide a utility rack which is ornamental in appearance and which may be disconnected intermediate its ends for moving and storage.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by connecting a plurality of tubes in vertical parallel relation to a movable base wherein each of the tubes is turned back upon itself to form an inverted U-shape. Cable means within each tube support a like plurality of containers.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the rack in operative position;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view through one of the tubes of the rack; and,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner of interconnecting superposed sections of the rack.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates the rack, as a whole, comprising a lower section A and an upper section B. A plurality of lower tubes 12 are connected at one end in vertically spaced-apart parallel relation to a base member 14. The base member 14 comprises a disk 15 secured to a plurality of divergent support arms 16. Casters 18, connected with the free ends of the support arms 16, rollably support the device 10. The upper end portions of the tubes 12 extend through and are rigidly connected to a lower plate defining the uppermost limit of the lower section A. A like plurality of parallel vertically spaced-apart upper tubes 22 extend through and are rigidly connected at their depending ends to an upper plate 24 in coaxial alignment with respect to the tubes 12. The upper plate 24 defines the lowermost limit of the upper section B. The upper end portion of each of the tubes 22 is arcuately turned outwardly and downward forming "ice inverted U-shaped end portions 26. Each of the tubes projects through an upper disk 28 which maintains the upper end portion of the tubes 22, downwardly of their U-shaped ends, in vertical spaced parallel relation. The lower plate 20 is provided with an arcuate downwardly directed projection or lug 30 cooperatingly engageable with a hook member 32 formed on the upper plate 24. cooperatingly aligned vertically apertured lugs 34 and 36, formed on the plates 20 and 24, respectively, receive a bolt or screw 38 which holds the tubes 12 and 22 in vertically aligned coaxial relation in cooperation with the lug 30 and hook 32. Obviously the tubes 12 and 22 may be of unitary construction (FIG 2) thus eliminating the function and necessity of the connecting plates 20 and 24, if desired.

An elongated flexible element, such as a cable 40, is threaded through each of the tubes 12 and 22. The cables 40 project outwardly of the free end portion of the inverted U-shaped ends 26 of the tubes and are connected with suitable upwardly open containers 42. A lid or cover 44, for each of the containers, is rigidly connected as by nuts 45 threadedly engaged with the respective free end portion of the U-shape 26 of the tubes (FIG. 2). The other end portion of each of the cables is connected with a rod or counterweight 46 positioned within the respective tube 12 which acts as a counterbalance for the container 42 and the articles contained therein, not shown. A section of flexible tubular material 48, preferably formed of plastic, is threaded through the U-shaped portion 26 of each of the tubes 22 around the cable 40 and extends downwardly within each tube 22 a selected distance. The purpose of the plastic tube 48 is to increase the coeflicient of sliding friction offered to the respective cable 40 as the cable slides through the respective U-shaped portion 26 of the tubes for the reasons presently explained.

Operation In operation the device is assembled as described hereinabove and the desired articles, not shown, are placed within the containers! The operator simply pulls a selected container 42 downwardly, from its upward out of the way position, wherein the cable 40 slides outwardly through the plastic tube 48 lifting the respective weight 46. The frictional resistance offered the cable 46 by the tube 48, in combination with its weight 46, maintains the selected container in its lowered position, even when emptied of its contents, until such time as the operator lifts the container toward the free end of the U-shaped end portion of the tube wherein gravitational attraction for the weight 46 slides the cable 40 back through the tube and maintains the container in its inoperative position.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A utility rack, comprising: a base; a plurality of support arms connected with said base; a caster connected with each said arm; a plurality of vertically disposed tubes rigidly'connected at their depending ends in parallel spaced relation to said base, each of said tubes having an inverted U-shaped upper end portion projecting outwardly from the vertical'axis of each said tube; a flexible element threaded through each said tube and projecting outwardly at one end from the upper free end of each said tube; a container connected to the free end of each said flexible element; a counterweight connected to the other end of each said flexible element within the respective said tube; a friction tube surrounding each said flexible element within the U-shaped end portion of each 2. Structure as specified in claim 1 in which said tubes are divided, intermediate their ends, forming a lower section and an upper section, and in which said means includes a lower and an upper plate connected to the respectice adjacent ends of said tubes forming said lower and upper sections; and cooperating hinge means formed on said upper and lower plates removably connecting said upper and lower sections in vertically aligned relation.

3. A utility rack, comprising: a base, a plurality of upright tubes supported in parallel spaced relation by said base, each of said tubes having an inverted U-shaped upper end portion, said tubes being divided intermediate their ends forming an upper and a lower section of tubes; an upper and a lower plate removably connecting the respective adjacent end portions of said upper and lower sections of tubes in coaxial alignment; a flexible element slidably disposed within and projecting outwardly at one end from the upper end of each said tube; a container connected with the outwardly projecting end of each said flexible element; and means frictionally retaining each said flexible element in selected positions of extended and retracted adjustment relative to the U-shaped end portion of said tubes, said means comprising a counterweight secured to each said flexible element within each said tube, and a friction tube surrounding said flexible element within the U-shaped end portion of each said tube.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,737,017 11/29 Nelson 24081 2,231,137 2/41 Ohm 248-328 X 2,533,416 12/50 Anthes 108l49 2,920,787 1/60 Garwood 22O47 X FOREIGN PATENTS 914,492 1/ 63 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Examiner. 

3. A UTILITY RACK, COMPRISING: A BASE, A PLURALITY OF UPRIGHT TUBES SUPPORTED IN PARALLEL SPACED RELATION BY SAID BASE, EACH OF SAID TUBES HAVING AN INVERTED U-SHAPED UPPER END PORTION, SAID TUBES BEING DIVIDED INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS FORMING AN UPPER AND A LOWER SECTION OF TUBES; AN UPPER AND A LOWER PLATE REMOVABLY CONNECTING THE RESPECTIVE ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER SECTIONS OF TUBES IN COAXIAL ALIGNMENT; A FLEXIBLE ELEMENT SLIDABLY DISPOSED WITHIN AND PROJECTING OUTWARDLY AT ONE END FROM THE UPPER END OF EACH SAID TUBE; A CONTAINER CONNECTED WITH THE OUTWARDLY PROJECTING END OF EACH SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT; AND MEANS FRICTIONALLY RETAINING EACH SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT IN SELECTED POSITIONS OF EXTENDED AND RETRACTED ADJUSTMENT RELATIVE TO THE U-SHAPED END PORTION OF SAID TUBES, SAID MEANS COMPRISING A COUNTERWEIGHT SECURED TO EACH SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT WITHIN EACH SAID TUBE, AND A FRICTION TUBE SURROUNDING SAID FLEXIBLE ELEMENT WITHIN THE U-SHAPED END PORTION OF EACH SAID TUBE. 